Exhortar
Summary Exhortar, commonly “Exhorts." These are auxiliary units who serve the Midian Empire, supporting the Midian Legions. They are composed of non-citizens from conquered territories, prisoners, and mercenaries. They typically are bowmen, slingers, light cavalry, and other skirmishers. Exhort units have worse equipment, are less trained, and thought less loyal than Legion units.Exhorts serve in smaller numbers, generally only as large as a Quaddred. However, they make up a third of the overall fighting force available to the Empire. Current Exhort Units Exhort units are too numerous and changing to list completely. There are thought to be about 150,000 effectives. The most well-known are covered below. Naming conventions vary (numbering is thought to represent the number of times the unit has had to be reconstituted). 57th Truciate The "Turks," are hodge-podge band of misfits who hail from the Truciate Marches. Most are illiterate peasants desperate to take up any form of work to keep from starving or being enslaved. Turks can be of any race, but are typically human or orkik. The Turks serve as militia on the frontier. They are armed with spears, javelins, axes, and any armor they can scavenge up. They are led by disgraced legionnaires, serving punishment sentences. Turks are poorly trained, barely better than the brigands and rebels they fight. But they are fed; and have better equipment. 133rd Mob The 133rd (along with several other Mobs) is one of the poorest Exhort units. Composed of barely trained civilians, the Mob serves to reduce prison overcrowding or to remove a restive part of the population away from their home towns. Mob soldiers spend much of their time performing road maintenance or hauling supplies to front-line Legion units. Mob units rarely survive actual combat. Mob soldiers are lucky to have padded armor, a helm, and a shield. Many only have two out of three. Their weapons are cast-offs from the Legions, swords and spears too old or defective for their use. 13th Pyre The 13th Pyre (and sister units, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 12th) is one of the more effective Exhorts. These soldiers (often half-elves) serve as archery support for Legions. They receive pay that approaches Legion levels; and receive grudging respect from other legionnaires for their shooting skills. Units often have several generations of kin serving within their ranks. Pyre archers are equipped with composite long bows, sheaves of arrows, archer's shields, and leather or padded armor. They typically carry small axes and entrenching spades for creating cover; and personal defense. 17th Colonia The 17th (and sister units 5th, 10th, and 12th) Colonia is a press-gang Exhort unit. Criminals and rebels from Midian colonies are shipped away to serve tours lasting from 5 years to life, depending on the offense. Desertion is high. And Colonia officers often have to fight off assassination attempts. Colonia units most often serve to secure roads or to suppress restive villages. They have no loyalty to the locals and are known for their severe reprisals. Many Colonia-occupied villages end up being burnt to the ground. Colonia soldiers are dressed in bright yellow; and are branded with a Midian mark on their shoulders. They wear padded armor and shields, and are equipped with long spears and clubs. Colonia officers wear heavy armor and are allowed to buy a personal bodyguard. 5th Auroch The 5th Auroch is a tax-unit drawn up as yearly tribute from the Aurochi to the Midian Empire. It is composed of soldiers who ride armored aurochs into battle. They serve as heavy cavalry; and are known for both their bravery and lack of discipline. The 5th and units like it have been used to smash enemy flanks, and to break up archery formations. Midian nobles disparagingly call the 5th "drover knights." But most legionnaires are glad to see an Aurochi warrior on their side. Auroch soldiers wear hide armor, carry heavy lances, and use a horned mace as a personal weapon. Their mounts wear armor as well--rarely Eletauri hide. 25th Riddari The Riddari make up the remnants of an ancient hill tribe conquered by the Midian Empire. Their descendents now patrol the extent of the Life Road, driving off Undying, and arresting travelers without papers. The Riddari are used as scouts when attached to a full legion. Riddari are equipped with 2-3 hardy ponies, a shield, several javelins, lassos, and fire clubs (bundles of sticks wrapped in tar to use against the undead). They wear little armor, but wear thick gloves and heavy boots to deflect the bites and clawing of the Undying. 1st Ghul The 1st Ghul is one of the newer Exhorts. It is a slinger unit recruited from Saheli tribes. The Ghul are excellent marksmen, especially with staff slings. They are used to climbing in harsh terrain and have a unique way of carrying their stones and supplies. The Ghul use "mules," bound Undying: armless, mouthless undead with hollow body cavities capable of carrying up to 200 pounds of ammunition. The mules never tire and always stay near their masters. The Ghul are not welcome around other Legion units. Instead they have been used in mountain outposts along the northern border. With other Exhorts, the Ghul are serving to drive out rebels from old dwarven mines. 23rd Paganus The Paganus or "Pagans" (and sister units 4th, 6th, 11th, and 15th) are composed of press-ganged clerics, monks, and followers of banned faiths. Most units are recruited out of the Comete Kingdom (which has been cracking down on religions not in favor of the Empire). Pagan units are equipped in whatever armor or weapons their religion allows. More powerful clerics are geased to obey the Empire (or have family members held hostage).Category:Portal:Midian Military